Etosha Naitonal Park

The beauty of traveling to Etosha is that there is a little something for everyone. Many of Africa's wildlife parks cater to wealthy travelers who are willing to spend thousands of dollars on luxurious game lodges. But Ethosa's six camps offer a wide range of accommodation options - from basic campsites to glamping to upscale resorts. In addition to the park lodges and campsites, there are a handful of fantastic accommodation options outside of Etosha’s gates.

Unfortunately, peak times also bring their own challenges with many tourists having the same idea. Booking accommodation is more difficult in the dry season – we recommend you start booking your self-drive Etosha safari at least 9 months to a year before you intend to travel. Costs also rise during the peak dry season – by about 20% to 40%. But with game viewing far better in the dry season, and as this is what you want to see, we think it is a price worth paying

Your choice of Etosha accommodation depends on what you want to get out of your visit. The best game viewing is in the early morning, so it is important to be driving around the park as early as you can. If you sleep in camps inside the park, you can simply drive out as soon as the gates open.

If you stay outside the park, there is sometimes a line to enter, then you need to head to a Government Camp to pay your park fees. All this can take up to 30 minutes and reduce your prime time viewing.

Additionally, the waterholes at the camps are floodlit at night, when many interesting animals come to drink. In particular, the waterhole at Okaukuejo Camp is excellent for spotting black rhino. If you are outside the park, in a property that is not on a reserve with its own waterhole, you will miss out on some of the best game viewing opportunities.

Inside the Park: Inside the park, you will find the government-owned NWR camps (Halali, Okaukuejo, Namutoni, Dolomite, etc.) which are located within the park. Many will see them as the perfect stopover due to their locations, and even more so when they read that these camps have excellent waterholes (which they do). They do the job and are affordable. However, know that they are big, quite practical and often very busy - they can cater for 200-300 people per night.

Outside the Park: Outside the parks, you have the private reserves, which neighbor the National Park. It is the same area with the same views and wildlife, just outside the official border of the park. These reserves are home to generally smaller camps, from campsites to luxury lodges, and offer a more refined safari experience. They also have private waterholes on-site.

The rules differ between the reserves and the park. In Etosha, you can't drive in the park after 5:30 pm, and you can't leave your vehicle at any point. In the reserves, visitors are allowed to do walking activities and night drives, which can be a big plus.